For Erika Alexander and Ben Arnon, storytelling isn’t just about entertainment, it’s about creating change. As the founders of Color Farm Media, their mission is to amplify underrepresented voices in film and television. Since launching Color Farm in 2017, the duo has been making waves by producing impactful content and breaking down barriers for creators of all backgrounds. Now, through their sponsorship of Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Competition, they’re taking that mission to the next level by mentoring the next generation of diverse storytellers.

A Shared Passion

Color Farm was born out of a shared passion for social justice and storytelling. Alexander and Arnon first met in 2008 at the Democratic National Convention, where both were serving as community organizers and delegates. Alexander’s long career as an actress and producer, and Arnon’s experience in media and tech, gave them a unique perspective on the power of storytelling. 

“We launched Color Farm with a very clear mission: We wanted to become the Motown of film, TV, and tech to create content that not only entertains but also impacts culture and shifts narratives,” says Arnon. “Film and TV are among America’s biggest exports, and they have the power to shape how people see themselves and the world.” 

Color Farm has produced powerful, socially conscious content, including the documentary, John Lewis: Good Trouble about the late Congressman and civil rights icon; Finding Tamika, a duPont-Columbia award-winning Audible series produced with Kevin Hart and Charlamagne tha God that highlights the epidemic of missing Black women; and The Big Payback, a documentary co-directed by Alexander that premiered on PBS and explores the fight for reparations.

Breaking Barriers in Hollywood

For Alexander, the decision to co-found Color Farm was deeply personal. After being discovered as a young actress in Philadelphia and starring in iconic shows like Living Single, she quickly learned that acting roles for girls and women of color were very limited.

“I was frustrated,” says Alexander, adding, “The first three roles I landed were a foster child, a prostitute, and a slave. I realized I needed to become a creative force to change the narrative.”

Guided by the mentorship of legendary theater and film producer Joseph Papp, Alexander learned that she didn’t need a degree to become a producer – she just needed the drive to make things happen. Partnering with Arnon, they embraced a mission to challenge barriers around race, age and gender, no matter the genre or medium.

“We’re genre agnostic. We get in where we fit in. We started with documentaries because that’s where the opportunity was, but we’re building a robust slate of scripted projects for film, TV, and audio. We’re small but powerful and we’re making a difference,” says Alexander.

Partnering with Final Draft: Supporting New Voices

In 2024, Color Farm began sponsoring Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Competition with a special interest in the Diversity Category, which highlights underrepresented voices in film and TV. 

“We’ve had a great partnership with Final Draft,” Arnon says. “Final Draft is the gold standard in screenwriting software, and we believe that aspiring writers should have access to tools that can help them break into the industry.”

Alexander agrees, adding, “Final Draft removes obstacles. When I was transitioning into writing, I had to manually format everything. It took time and energy that could have been spent focusing on the story. Now, with Final Draft, you push a button and you’re in the right format. That’s huge for emerging writers.”

Color Farm Founders Erika Alexander & Ben Arnon

Mentorship That Builds Relationships

Beyond their sponsorship, Color Farm is making an even bigger impact by offering mentorship to winners in the Diversity Category of the Big Break competition. Alexander enjoys being hands-on in providing one-on-one guidance to the winners, sharing her wealth of industry knowledge and helping writers navigate the challenges of breaking into Hollywood.

“Mentorship is everything. We’re not just giving advice, we’re helping these writers understand how to create narratives that reflect fuller, more complex human experiences. We need better stories that reflect the richness of the human condition, and empowering new voices is key to that,” Alexander says.

“It’s a win-win,” says Arnon. “We get to engage with emerging creators early on, build relationships, and learn from their experiences. This is an exciting time to be talking about storytelling, especially with the rise of AI and the changing landscape of content creation. But at the end of the day, nothing can replace the human touch that comes from authentic storytelling,” he says.

Shaping the Future

As Color Farm continues to grow, Alexander and Arnon remain laser-focused on their mission to change the face of media. Their work with Final Draft’s Big Break Competition is just one example of how they’re using their platform to amplify diverse voices and make Hollywood a more inclusive place.

“Who are we in this moment? What are we creating in this new world? The stories we tell today will shape the world of tomorrow. We have a responsibility to make those stories better and that’s exactly what Color Farm is here to do,” says Alexander. 

To learn more about Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Competition, visit finaldraft.com.